


Morning Dew

by Qilby



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, idk what to put in the tags really, in which reiji owns a b&b with his sis cause he got tired of being an idol, reimyu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 06:49:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16868131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qilby/pseuds/Qilby
Summary: The life at an Inn is never easy, even during the low season. But this time around, Reiji was easily bored, especially since his sister was gone to Japan, leaving him all alone. But little does he know that his entire world is about to be changed by a mysterious stranger asking him if he has any room available...





	Morning Dew

**Author's Note:**

> this au sparked from me calling my beauty and the beast au B&B, reminding myself of bed&breakfast, and everything went downhill from there. hope y'all enjoy this!

Morning was the best time of the day. It was peaceful, with the sun rising over the ocean, making the morning dew shine brightly. It was one of those rare day of warmth as the month of September rolled in, bringing back the rain and cold of Fall.

Reiji didn’t know why he had bothered getting up so early. It was the low season for his little Inn in the middle of nowhere, in England. While it was usually considered a high season everywhere else, in this part of the country, things became slower as the temperatures dropped. And so, with no reservations planned for the next few weeks, there was very little to do, except keeping the cottage clean and the fridge full.

The Innkeeper let out a sigh. The low season was fun the first few weeks of calm, where his sister and himself could relax after the big rush of summer, but once one of them had flown back to Japan to help their mother out, the other was stuck at the Inn. They had agreed that one of them would stay behind, in case there was a rare last-minute reservation, or an impromptu visitor. And this time, Reiji was the one stuck home alone.

Things grew quickly boring with only his daily chores to take care of. Normally, Reiji would’ve had Kasumi, his Irish setter, to keep him company, but Yoko had taken her to Japan to get her used to travelling at a young age, which left very little to do once his usual chores were done.

Of course, he had his own hobbies. He could always compose new songs or read a book, but this was hard to do when the muses had not granted him any inspiration, or when you have already read all the books in the house. There were very little things left to entertain Reiji’s down time.

He finished his morning coffee as he stared out the kitchen’s window, watching the little drops of water shine in the sun. He had always loved the look of morning dew on the grass and the flowers, the water beading on the leaves as the sun chased away the humidity of the night. A nice, salty breeze came in through the, brushing his hair lightly. He closed his eyes, appreciating the moment.

He finished his breakfast in this peace, trying to figure out what he’d do to occupy his time. Reiji downed his coffee and finished his toasts. Once he was done, he dumped his dirty dishes in the sink. He’d wash it later, that was not a problem. After all, he had all the time in the world to wash it anyway. He made his way to the cupboard where he kept his gardening tools and grabbed what he needed. He put his hat and apron on, and armed with his tools, headed outside. He thought the he might as well work in the garden again, since there wasn’t anything better to do. Reiji planned to start with the back of the house, and slowly make his way to the front. Such was his routine to take care of his garden.

As the morning passed, Reiji chatted casually with the hydrangeas, and sang ballads with the roses. He shared secrets with the daffodils, and complimented the tiger lilies on their beauty. He fed the fishes in the pond, and made sure they had everything they needed. Gardening was a peaceful activity, and also helped him deal with the solitude of not having anyone around to talk to on a daily basis. He knew he could tell his deepest fears and secrets to the flowers, who would gladly keep them to the grave.

Once he was done with the back garden, he made his way to the front. Despite his boredom, he was glad he could enjoy this beautiful day, knowing very well that soon he’d be forced to stay inside. The rainy season was no fun for him, but it was necessary for the garden to grow dormant and prepare for the winter. But for now, it was still in bloom.

The villagers would joke about it, calling him a Fae for having such a beautiful garden so late into the year. Truth is, he didn’t do much, except make sure the plants had everything: sun, water and space to grow. After all, with nothing much to do, he had plenty of time to make sure his flowers were comfortable. It also kept his mind busy, keeping it from overthinking simple details, or worrying about futile things.

Reiji was taking care of a beautiful bush of blue hydrangeas. The villagers had thought him how to alter the Ph of the ground and give it this beautiful colour. He also had a bush of pink ones and white ones. Hydrangeas were his favourites, and so they could be found all around the garden, among other flowers. They filled the empty spaces beautifully, and moved so gracefully in the wind, Reiji could never get enough of them.

“Ah, look at you. Aren’t you a beauty,” he smiled as he watered the hydrangeas, carefully pushing them to the side to make sure the water hit the soil.

“Why, I am hoping this was not directed at me, or it would be slightly awkward,” a mysterious voice answered him.

Reiji dropped his watering can and turned around sharply, a hand pressed to his heart. Who was behind him and how had he not heard them arrive? For a moment, he believed he had just encountered a Fae, for the person in front of him had skin as fair as apple blossom, blond hair turned gold in the sun, and blue eyes so mesmerizing that Reiji forgot how to speak, as if hypnotized by them.

The first moment of surprise passed, and Reiji managed to move his gaze to analyze his surroundings. He saw, behind the Fae, a big suitcase. Why would a Fae… Oh, of course, how could he be so stupid? This person was not a Fae, but a client… Did he have a reservation that he forgot about today?

Reiji cleared his throat and finally managed a smile. “Ah, no, I was taking to… to the hydrangeas right here. Not that you’re not pretty or anything, I… How may I help you?”

The other smiled at him, yet Reiji couldn’t help but notice the lack of warmth in the smile. It was simply to be polite. Considering he looked like a businessman in his suit, Reiji wasn’t too put off by it. He wiped his hands on his apron as he waited for an answer.

“I need a place to stay, and this seems like the closest Inn to the village. I am afraid I have no reservation, for this was a last-minute decision, but perhaps you still have a room available?”

“Yes, of course. I have plenty of rooms, in fact! Please follow me,” Reiji answered with his usual, cheerful smile, and made his way inside.

The client bowed as he allowed Reiji to lead the way inside the cottage. Reiji couldn’t help but feel like he was in the presence of a noble. The attitude, the look, the cold yet courteous smile… even the English nobles did not give off this kind of vibe. But above all, Reiji couldn’t stop his heart from pounding. He had been so scared in the moment! Was he just too absorbed in his work to notice, or was the man strangely very silent? Normally, the portal would have squeaked upon being opened. It just felt like the man had materialized out of thin air…

As they walked into the house, Reiji did not stop to wait for his guest. He went straight up for the counter, trying not to think too much about his own outfit. Next to this person’s regal clothes, his old union jack t-shirt, khaki short, dirty apron and old straw hat made for a poor impression. His hair was loosely tied back, his fringe stuck under his hat, and his face covered in dirt. He felt inappropriate to be in the presence of his client, who seemed so caring of his appearance.

He slipped behind the counter and grabbed the record book with the information about the rooms. They were all available, and since there were no differences in prices despite some rooms being bigger, Reiji thought giving him the biggest room would be preferable. After all, if he made a good impression, the client might talk well about his experience here, and this could mean more business for him.

“May I ask for your name? Just so I can put down who is in what room,” Reiji inquired with his charming smile.

“Camus,” the man replied without much ceremony, slowly growing impatient.

Reiji waited, an eyebrow raised, but the rest of the name never came. With a shrug, he wrote down the name, not asking if there was more to it than that. Perhaps the man was forced to go by an alias.

“Perfect then, I’ll lead you to your room. Just follow me!”

He made his way up the stairs, not waiting for a response he knew would never come. His client seemed to be quite the reserved man. He took care of his own suitcase, refusing the helping hand Reiji tried to give him. On their way to the second floor, Reiji introduced himself properly.

“So! My name is Reiji, and I’m the Innkeeper. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I can give you extra pillows or blankets, or whatever else you might need. I usually make breakfast around 8 o’clock, but considering you are the only one here at the moment, we can arrange for a different time. Ah, here’s your keys, by the way. The big one is for the front door, in case you stay out late, and the small one is for your room.”

They had now reached a door at the end of the corridor, and Reiji had unlocked the room before giving Camus the keys. He opened the door on a beautiful blue room with a big baldachin bed. The windows gave view on the garden and the sea, white curtains moving lightly in the wind.

“My room is the one in front of yours, so you know where to find me if there’s anything. Again, don’t hesitate to ask me!”

Camus walked in with his suitcase, took a quick look, and turned back to face Reiji. He still had his cold smile. Reiji wished he could read him, understand why he smiled this way. Why he was so distant? The people who came here were generally more than happy to chat with him. After all, he made it his trademark to be friendly to their clients. But this man… Reiji simply couldn’t understand him.

“This will do. Thank you.”

“If it’s not too indiscreet, may I ask how long you will be staying, sir?” Reiji asked.

“I’m afraid I do not know yet. The business I have here might take a while, just as it might be quick. May I inquire about lunches and dinners?”

“Ah yeah, of course! Generally speaking, people prefer to eat out for these two, as they’re visiting around, but lunches and dinners are always open to everyone. We serve lunches between 12 to 2 pm, and dinners from 5 to 8 pm. If you are hungry now, I can arrange something. I was about to go make myself lunch—”

Camus cut him off with a wave of his hand. “It will be fine, thank you.”

He turned toward the window and stared out, clearly meaning the conversation was over. Surprised, Reiji bowed even though the man could not see him, and made his way back to the living room, removing his hat and apron and storing them away. He grabbed his phone from the kitchen table where he had left it, and promptly messaged his sister.

[We have a client!] he sent the message with a smiley face.

It took a while before he received an answer, but when he did receive one, it perfectly mirrored his own feelings.

[How?????]

[Some guy in a fancy suit walked in the garden, scaring the living shit out of me, and asked if we had any room for him. Of course, I agreed and gave him the blue room. He doesn’t talk much and is very cold. I don’t even have his entire name, and he says his business might take a while, so he doesn’t know how long he’ll be staying]

[Rei, I think you just accepted to accommodate an assassin or a spy…] Yoko replied jokingly.

[Don’t stay stuff like that, Yoko! Aren’t you worried about your cute little brother?]

[I would be, if I had one]

Reiji rolled his eyes at his sister, even though she could not see him. He bid her goodnight, knowing very well it was late for her, and made his way back to the kitchen. He started getting his lunch ready, singing to himself. He felt rather hungry, and wondered if his new resident would join him.

“I must head out for something. I shall be back by nightfall.”

Camus seemed to appear out of nowhere, making Reiji jump and drop his knife as he let out a surprised cry. As they stared at each other, Camus sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed.

“A-Alright, hum… I’ll have chicken for dinner, if you want some. I’ll leave it in the microwave!” Reiji managed to say with a smile.

Camus looked at him one last time and turned around, making his way toward the door.

“We’ll see.”

And just like that, without adding anything, like a thank you for your hard work, Camus left, leaving Reiji alone in his kitchen. He felt anger rise as he turned back toward the counter, picking his knife back up and resuming what he was doing. How had Camus managed to mute his steps in this house, where the floor squeaked the moment you pressed your big toe to the ground? And what was with the cold, distant attitude? Reiji couldn’t help but feel like he should’ve perhaps refused him. But unfortunately, even if Camus was rather cold and reserved, Reiji could hardly say no. It was the low season, and the lack of clients would eventually impact his wallet. He couldn’t afford to refuse someone; however cold and unpleasant they were.

Nevertheless, Camus was strange. Reiji couldn’t help but remember the text Yoko had sent him, about Camus being a potential spy or assassin. He shook his head with a small smile. It was only a silly idea. And anyway, wouldn’t such a person take more care about who sees them and what not? Camus was too recognisable in this village where everyone knew each other. He stood out way too much to be subtle.

He finished his lunch, quickly ate it at the table, and then proceeded on preparing dinner. He planned on making something he hadn’t had in a long time: Kotobuki fried chicken, following his mother’s recipe. It was his favourite meal, but also his go to comforting food. He had failed the few last times he had tried doing it, but perhaps this time, he’d manage to do it properly.

As he prepared the food, he let his thoughts drift again. They drifted back to his sister, wishing she were with him right now. Things always went better when Yoko was around. Reiji was also good with the clients, but Yoko had this… natural thing going on, where people seemed to trust her as soon as they met her. But Yoko was in Japan, with his dog, and now he was alone here, making dinner for an ungrateful client, who might not even eat it. At least, Camus wasn’t outright rude. He was still polite and respectful. Things could’ve been worse than that, yet something about Camus was pissing Reiji off. His fake smile and attitude just felt wrong, even though Reiji had only just met him.

He put the prepared chicken in the fridge, washed his hands and went back to his room for a quick shower. He changed into better clothes, matching his favourite black jeans with a white t-shirt, his outfit completed with a plaid jacket. He brushed his hair and finally deemed himself more presentable. He needed to go in town, to buy some groceries. After all, he was no longer alone, and he doubted Camus would be satisfied with instant ramen for most of his meal. There was just enough time to get to the village, buy some supplies, and finish preparing dinner. He needed some lemon to make the fried chicken that much better anyway.

His little trip into town was quick. People were talking a bit about the strangers they had seen, the ambassador of England, and also one very handsome foreigner whom no one knew. Reiji didn’t want to fuel any rumors, and decided to keep silent about the fact the foreigner was staying at his inn. Anyway, people would know sooner or later.

He made his way back, carrying the groceries bravely, as the bags had turned out quite heavy. He chatted here and there with some villagers and the pub owner, asking how things were for them. The crops had been good this year, and everyone seemed happy, which, in return, made Reiji happy. He loved seeing his friends and neighbours joyful and looking after one another, especially if someone’s crops hadn’t been as good as another. And well, now they could all share what they had grown.

Truly, Reiji couldn’t be happier to live in a small village, where everyone helped each other. He was well placed to know that, as the villagers had all helped him not too long ago.

He reached the inn as the sun started setting, coloring the sea with hues of red and gold. He entered the house and dropped the bags in the kitchen, opening the windows a little to let in the nice night breeze, the waves echoing in the distance. He put away the groceries, enjoying the fresh air, and moved on to actually cooking dinner. He thought about what he’d do the next day, about what needed repairing, or what other supplies might be missing.

Reiji was focused on his cooking when he heard the front door being slammed closed. Worried, he left the stove to check on what had happened, only to find Camus standing in the entrance, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. His hair was a complete mess, his face and clothes covered in dirt. As Reiji scanned him from head to toe, he couldn’t help but notice a dark red stain on Camus’s side…

“Are you alright?” Reiji blurted out, hurrying to the door, only to be stopped by Camus’s glare.

“I’m fine, it’s nothing,” he told him, clearly annoyed. “I have eaten already, and will not require your services as cook. I will take care of myself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I will retire to my room.”

And without even sparing him a look, or even a thank you, Camus walked past Reiji, climbing up the stairs four by four. Reiji stared at them, even though Camus was long gone. How dare he be so rude? There he was worrying for a stranger who clearly did not care about anything other than his own person.

It’s only when the smell of burning chicken came to Reiji’s nose that he finally moved. Cursing under his breath, he hurried to the kitchen and immediately got the chicken out of the frying pan, but it was too late. All of it was burnt, and Reiji doubted any amount of lemon or sauce would cover the horrible taste of burnt food.

Yet another failed attempt. He couldn’t do this recipe anymore, he had to face that fact even if he didn’t want to. And with Camus being a rather stressful client, Reiji figured his relaxing time was over.

Oh, how he regretted saying he was bored! That would teach him to be ungrateful of what he had.

After having cleaned his mess, he grabbed a bowl of instant ramen, boiled some water, and made himself a nice cup of noodles. He ate it on the counter, still grumbling to himself about the situation he was in. Once he was done, he finished cleaning the kitchen, closed the window and lights, and made his way to his bedroom after making sure the door was locked.

He crashed on his bed, still fully clothed, hugging a pillow. Reiji was surprised he hadn’t realized it sooner, but he was exhausted. His day had gone by in a flash, and his conversations with the flowers seemed to have taken place forever ago.

He fell asleep thinking of his home in Japan, his friends, his family, and his dog. He missed them now more than ever before. Despite his client, Reiji felt the loneliest he had ever felt in a long time now. But still, with Camus around, he hoped the next weeks would be interesting.

And oh dear, it would be.

* * *

 

A few days had passed since that eventful day, when Camus had arrived at the Inn. In that time, Reiji and his client had barely spoken. The few times their path had crossed, Reiji had greeted Camus, but his client still gave him the cold shoulder in return, which made the Innkeeper even more determined to get a reaction from Camus, however frustrating he might be. And he kept making food for the both of them, even though Camus had clearly stated he would not be eating anything his host made. Still, Reiji had remarked that the pastries, cookies, cakes and other sweets he made, were gone by the morning.

Even with a client in the place, the Inn remained very… quiet, and Reiji quickly found himself bored. He thought things would be more eventful with such a strange man around, but as it turned out, they barely crossed paths. Camus was gone before Reiji was even up, and he always came back before dark. Sometimes, he’d be covered in dirt, or even once, with a bloody nose. Every time, Camus would go for his room right away, never looking or greeting Reiji in any way. He was very discreet besides that, and never made a sound, which annoyed Reiji. He had stopped counting just how often Camus had accidentally scared him.

Perhaps, Reiji thought, his sister had been right. Camus could be some sort of spy-assassin. But as far as he knew, no one in the village had gone missing, or had been found dead. And anyway, even if it had been the case, Camus would’ve been long gone. So, what exactly was Camus doing all day long in town? What was his intentions, what was his business here? None of it seemed to make sense, and Reiji could only speculate on the reasons.

Little did he know some of his questions would be answered soon.

September had made way for October, and that also meant the rainy season was upon them once again. The cold and bad weather had put Reiji’s garden to sleep as the sun hid behind thick, grey clouds. There wasn’t much left for Reiji to do but keep the house warm and clean and cook, with the occasional trip into town. He still went to karaoke night after all at the local pub, and enjoyed the company of his friends.

Today, it had been one of the real first rainy day of the season. Light rain had been pouring all day long, and as Reiji cooked dinner that night, it turned into a cold, heavy rain, the water drops resounding as they fell on the thin roof.

The house smelled of chocolate cake, which Reiji had spent time making during the day. He was now enjoying a slice of it, with a glass of wine by the fire in the living room. He watched out the window as the lightning strikes illuminated the village in the distance. It was already pitch-black outside, save for the occasional spark of light. Camus still hadn’t made it back, and Reiji was slightly worried. He might not like his client much, but he always made it back before it was dark, so the fact he wasn’t at the Inn was unusual.

Reiji was imagining the worst-case scenarios when the front door opened. From his place in the living room, he could see Camus walk in, entirely soaked and covered in mud. His hair stuck to his face. Before Reiji could even get up and offer him a towel, Camus was already making his way up the stairs, leaving a trail of mud and water behind him.

The Innkeeper let out a sigh, put his half-eaten cake and his wine on the coffee table, and went to get the mop. He filled the bucket with water, and started from upstairs, making his way down as he washed the floors. He sang softly to himself, trying to chase away the anger he felt bubbling in his chest. He just wished Camus would’ve been more careful.

Once the floors were clean, he stored the mop and bucket away again, and took his place back in his chair, grabbing his slice of cake and resuming eating it. Reiji stared at the flames, thinking back on times where he would go camping with his friends. They would sing songs together as they stayed up late into the night, or roast marshmallows and play games.

He was so absorbed in his memories that he never heard Camus walk in until his client sat down on the opposite couch with a groan. Reiji’s head turned slowly toward him, surprised that the man had come back down from his room and was willingly sitting in the same room than him.

“Could I have some of that wine, please…? Camus asked, his gaze refusing to meet Reiji’s.

Reiji nodded even though Camus was not looking at him, put his plate aside and went to the kitchen to grab another glass, another bottle of wine, as well as a slice of the chocolate cake. Since Camus only seemed to be eating sweets, he thought he might enjoy this.

Once he was back in the living room, he set the cake down with the empty glass, filling it in almost to the brim. He handed the glass to Camus, who muttered a thank you, and immediately downed his glass. Reiji offered him the bottle, and the client gladly accepted it, filling his glass again.

After taking another sip of the wine, Camus grabbed the cake and slowly started eating it. He was careful not to drop any of it on the couch or ground, but still managed to finish the cake rather quickly, as if he hadn’t eaten anything all day. Reiji finished his part too, took both their plate and left for the kitchen, dropping them in the sink. He came back to find Camus looking at the fire, his wine of glass in a hand.

His hair was still wet from the shower, some water droplets beading at the tip and falling on the towel around his shoulder, reminding Reiji of the morning dew he loved so much. He was wearing a simple, tight shirt that fit his slim frame quite well, hugging every curve lovingly. Jogging pants completed the outfit, and Reiji was rather amused at how casual he looked. He had only ever seen him in a suit, so this was a significant change.

“I should apologize for the mess I made coming in. I was surprised by the rains and rushed here, but I tripped on my way and fell yet again in a muddy pit. I am sorry for covering your floors in mud,” Camus offered the explanation, still obstinately looking at the fire.

His voice was softer than usual, which surprised Reiji. He was still cold and distant, but something felt different.

“It’s fine, I cleaned it rather quickly, but… What do you mean, again? This isn’t the first time?”

“No, it has happened several times since I arrived here. English mud holes seem to love me,” Camus frowned as he poured himself another glass.

Reiji smiled at the comment. He didn’t think Camus was the kind of guy who would crack jokes at all, so this was a surprise. They remained silent a while longer, simply enjoying the warmth of the fire and the wine, the bottle already nearing its end. Reiji noticed that with all the alcohol he had absorbed, Camus seemed chattier now. Perhaps… Perhaps he would finally get some answers to his questions. But before he could start the interview, Camus spoke first.

“How long have you been holding this inn?”

“Oh, about five years. Yoko, my sister, bought it a few years prior to that, and I decided to help her out to learn English.”

“That worked pretty well,” Camus nodded in approval.

“Yeah, I guess it did. And well, I stayed because I liked living here and holding the inn. It’s a better life than what I had planned anyway.”

Camus raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation, but it never came. Reiji remained silent about his mysterious story, and the young man figured he would have to go and fish for answers.

“What had you planned exactly, if it’s not too personal?”

“Oh, it’s not. My friends and I dreamed of being Idols back home. But… after certain events, I dropped it all. It was simply too much. This life is much better, to be fair,” Reiji made a short story of his life, not really wanting to expand himself on the specifics of his story.

“And what are Idols, exactly?”

“Well, y’know. They’re some kind of celebrities, very popular with the youngsters especially. The life of an idol is very ephemeral. But the happiness you get from the fans is beyond words. They’re people who do all sort of stuff, like sing, act, model, dance, and so on.”

“So, you wanted to be one of those entertainers?”

“I wanted to sing mainly, yeah.”

Reiji didn’t really know why he was being so honest with Camus. His past life was not a secret, most of his friends in town knew about it. But it generally took a while for him to admit that to someone he barely knew. Maybe the alcohol was at fault here…

“You do have a beautiful voice,” Camus commented, sipping on his wine.

The Innkeeper felt his face turn red as the realization downed on him. “You’ve heard me sing?”

“I have. You often sing to yourself while doing chores. You even did it while cleaning the floors earlier. And well, since your walls aren’t the most soundproof, I could hear you even in the shower.”

“Ah, well, erm… thank you, I guess…” Reiji stuttered, his gaze turning back toward the flames as the red of his cheeks deepened some more.

“I believe I’ve asked you enough question for the moment. I’ve been prying a lot on your life now, so it’s only fair you do the same,” Camus suggested, trying to relax the atmosphere a bit.

He felt a bit clumsy with his interactions with Reiji. After all, he had only been cold and distant to him the moment they had met. He didn’t mean to be like that at first, but Reiji’s cheerfulness scared him, in a way. And now, he wanted to change this, to change how the interacted. He simply didn’t know how…

“Well, okay fine. I do have one question: Are you a spy or an assassin?”

Camus paused as his gaze finally moved from the flames to Reiji, staring at him in disbelief. As he slowly made sense of the word he had just told him, he burst out laughing, surprising Reiji even more. It was as if the walls of ice he had carefully placed around himself were melting away.

“Stop laughing, I’m serious! You’re all mysterious, cold and distant! You leave early and come back late, and you only eat sweets!”

“I doubt the fact I eat sweets would be a factor in me being an assassin or not,” Camus laughed some more, and Reiji joined him, realizing how silly his question must have sounded.

“So, I’m guessing you’re neither of those things. Should’ve known better. But why do you always come back dirty, and even covered in blood? Like the first night, you had this big red stain on the side of your shirt, and that other time where you came back with a bloody nose!”

Camus took some deep breathes, a smile still lingering on his lips as he found control of himself again. He looked serene now, a lot more relaxed than Reiji had ever seen him since he had arrived.

“I will admit that the fact I always come back in such poor conditions could’ve given off the wrong idea. That stain on the first night was simply wine, and as I mentioned earlier, I’ve tripped a lot in those bloody mudholes on my way here. It’s very poorly lit, so I don’t always see them.”

“And the bloody nose?”

“I got into a fight with a stubborn fellow ambassador, and he decided to punch me. Of course, I did not hit him back, so it was entirely his fault. Had he challenged me to a duel properly though, he would’ve been the bloodied one.”

“Sounds like fun times. What is it you do anyway? Why are you hanging out with ambassadors?” Reiji poured himself another glass of wine, the second bottle well started, offering some more to Camus, who gladly accepted.

“Perhaps because I am also an ambassador?” Camus snorted.

“That… would make sense. Sorry, I think I might be just a bit drunk,” Reiji shrugged, sitting back more comfortably on the couch. “So, you’re an ambassador for what country?”

“Permafrost. We’ve been meaning to make an alliance with England for a long time now, since we need access to certain resources we lack. Our land is pretty much permanently covered in ice, so some things are harder to get.”

“That’s pretty cool. But why pick this town for the negotiations? And why are you alone? Shouldn’t you be accompanied by like, body guards or other… minister or something?”

“The Queen chose this small town so we wouldn’t attract the attention of the medias. Permafrost wishes to remain as secretive as possible, hence why I am alone. One foreigner attracts less attention than a group.”

Reiji nodded in understanding. This sort of made sense to his foggy mind. He had heard once or twice of the country of Permafrost, a long time ago. A land of snow and permanent cold… Reiji shivered just at the idea. He already struggled enough with the winter here, he believed Permafrost would be hell for him, as he got cold rather easily.

“I see. Well, at least I hope your stay here is somewhat enjoyable, despite your work, sir.”

“Oh please, I beg you to call me Camus. I do not like being referred to as sir outside of negotiations, to be fair,” Camus complained, waving his hand in front of his face in dismissal.

“I… sure, no problem. Is it your first name or last name, though? Or is it even a middle name?”

“First name. It was given to me by the Silk Queen when I entered her service. We do not have family names like you guys do back there… Which, I’ll admit, is kind of problematic at times when I’m travelling.”

“Given to you… does that mean it’s _not_ your real name? What is it then?”

“I’d rather not tell. It brings back bad memories,” Camus’s tone was calm, but Reiji could hear the light melancholy behind his words.

“Ah, sorry. I wouldn’t have asked if I had known,” Reiji smiled apologetically at Camus, who smiled back, making his heart waver for a moment.

“It’s not important. It’s no good to dwell on the past. But what about you? Where are you from?”

“Japan. My sister is over there right now, to visit our mother.”

“Why did you not go with her?”

“Well, one of us always stays behind in case some random travellers seek shelter during the low season. Considering we’re the only Inn, we can’t really afford to close for a long period of time. We do close a week during the year, where we both go back home and spend time with our mom.”

“I’ve visited Japan a few times for work. It’s a beautiful country,” Camus raised his glass to show his appreciation, offering a cheer in the name of Japan.

“Yeah, it is a very nice country. I miss it terribly sometimes, but life here is nice too… and I wouldn’t exchange it for anything,” Reiji’s smile wavered a bit as nostalgia filled him.

A silence settled between them as they finished the second bottle of wine. Reiji knew he would regret drinking so much in the morning, but it felt so normal doing it while chatting with Camus, he didn’t mind it too much. He didn’t understand why Camus suddenly changed. His personality basically had done a 180, but Reiji found this interesting. And now that he was just as intoxicated as Reiji was, Camus was more pleasant to hang out with, and the young Innkeeper wanted to know more about him.

“This might be out of the blue, but… why were you so cold at first? Honestly, I considered throwing you out,” Reiji admitted on a joking tone.

Camus took a moment to think, putting his glass down on the table and sitting back on the couch. “I… don’t know. I’m not too good with relationships outside of formal setting, and your casualness was so out of protocol for me, I guess I was thrown off guard. I’m sorry if I have hurt you.”

“No, no, not at all! I was kind of pissed, I’ll admit, but definitely not hurt. At least you were polite.”

He laughed lightly as he looked at Camus, his face illuminated by the dying flames. He looked so relax, so comfortable… Reiji felt intrigued by him. Turns out, the cold ambassador had a rather sweet side.

Reiji started picking up the things around the living room. He stumbled around the house and toward the kitchen, the two glasses of wine in one and hand and the bottles in another. He dropped everything on the counter, and turned around… only to find himself face to face with Camus.

“God, you have to stop sneaking up on me!”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… I… have a favor to ask you,” Camus slurred out, taking a step back to give Reiji some space.

Reiji looked at him with an eyebrow raised. What was he going to ask him? Maybe he needed help to hide a body. Reiji smiled at the thought as he kept waiting for an answer.

“The English ambassador has to be elsewhere for business, and we must take a break in the negotiations, so I do have a small vacation. Instead of going back home, I thought, perhaps, I could enjoy myself a little… and maybe, if it’s not too much of a bother, I thought you could show me around…?

Reiji beamed with delight as he heard the words. “Of course! I’d love to show you around! It’d be an honor honestly.”

Without thinking twice about it, Reiji passed an arm around Camus’s shoulder and led him toward the stairs, not realizing how uneasy Camus was by such a friendly gesture. Still, Camus didn’t want to move out of the touch. It felt nice to be close to someone, something he was far from used to.

“There’s the haunted castle, the lake, the crypt, the beach… so many things to do! I can show them all to you, you only need to ask,” the innkeeper listed as they clumsily climbed the stairs together after having closed all the lights.

“Slow down, I’m too intoxicated to take a decision,” Camus smiled as they reached the top of the stairs. “Let’s rest and decide tomorrow morning, okay?”

Reiji nodded happily as they reached the end of the corridor. He let go of Camus then, and they stood face to face, looking at one another. Camus opened his mouth, as if to say something, but closed it immediately, looking away. When his gaze met again with Reiji’s, he smiled gently.

“Good night, Reiji.”

“Good… night,” Reiji managed to reply, but Camus was already inside his room and out of earshot.

He closed the light after a moment, and entered his own room, crashing on his bed the moment he reached it. He grabbed his favourite pillow and hugged it to his chest as he looked out the window into the night. The storm seemed to have calmed, as there were no lightning or thunder anymore, but the rain kept falling.

His eyes felt heavy, and his body was exhausted. He couldn’t move an arm or a leg anymore as he let his eyes close. His thoughts turned back to the events of the evening, Camus coming in completely wet, his white shirt now see through… Reiji pictured him changing in his room, carefully removing every piece of clothing…

He shook his head with a laugh. He had too much wine, clearly. He barely knew Camus, so clearly, this attraction was only physical. After all, Camus was quite handsome. But seeing him in such simple attires, with a white t-shirt and loose joggings, his hair lazily tied up…

He fell asleep thinking about his client, unable to chase his image away from his mind. Little did he know this little bud sprouting in his chest would be the cause of so many complicated feelings.


End file.
